IAACE Blog: News for You

Lynnetta Bell “hit rock bottom” in the spring of 2013. She had been unemployed for 7 years, just recently finding work at a low paying job. She knew, without further education, life for her and her family was not going to improve. Lynnetta stated that the hardest thing she did was going into the WorkOne and beginning the process of obtaining her high school equivalency. Lynnetta worked with the Greene County Literacy Association at the Bloomfield Library and passed her high school equivalency test at the Broadview Learning Center in December 2013. Having worked as a home health aide, Lynetta thought training as a certified nursing assistant would be her best next step and she worked with case manager Susan Neal in the Linton Work One office to obtain training assistance.

Susan introduced Lynnetta to a career option she was not familiar with: Medical Assisting. Susan explained the WorkINdiana program as a possible way to fund her training, and discussed the training requirements. The WorkINdiana Medical Assisting program required TABE scores of 10.0. While Lynnetta had passed her HSE, she would need to improve her TABE scores to become eligible for funding. Lynnetta was determined and attended ABE classes at Turning Point Education Center. She completed remediation and had the required scores by the end of January.

Throughout the process, Susan continued to counsel Lynnetta. They discussed barriers to success as the training was offered by Vincennes University in Ft. Branch, IN, 80 minutes away from Lynnetta’s home. In addition she was raising 3 children and working full time. Together, they developed a plan and used supportive services to assist with transportation costs. Lynnetta took a leap of faith and entered Medical Assistant training in February 2013. Three nights a week for 14 weeks, she attended class. She dedicated study time each evening toward her certification after her children were in bed. According to her instructor, Tammy Emmons, “Lynetta took it upon herself to use all of the study information I handed out and make it into study guides that she and the entire class used……Lynette worked very hard to succeed.” Following class, Lynnetta completed a clinical experience with Family Foot Care of Jasper. As a result of her experience, and her Certified Medical Assisting certification received in May 2013, Lynnetta was hired in a full time position by Family Foot Care of Jasper earning $14 per hour!

Susan stated that Lynnetta was able to succeed because she was very driven. “From the moment she sat down at my desk, she completed every task given to her. She cooperated and was able to verbalize what type of support she needed to successfully complete her HSE and her Medical Assistant training.”

Lynnetta will tell you it was not easy. She credits the support of her husband and children as key motivators to her success, particularly when it got tough. She also acknowledges that the support she received from WorkOne was critical to her completion. “You guys are a big part of why I am where I am today. Susan….believed in me when I did not believe in myself, and that meant a lot to me”

Wanting to “pay it forward," Lynnetta has donated the study guides she created as well as the scrubs obtained during training back to the local WorkOne. It is her hope that they can help someone like herself.